Markets closed the week on a cautious note Friday, with the Nifty 50 falling for the fourth consecutive session as elevated crude oil prices and escalating geopolitical tensions in the West Asia kept investor appetite suppressed, even as Wall Street logged record closes overnight.
The Nifty 50 settled at 24,366, down 29.85 points or 0.12 per cent, while the BSE Sensex declined 70.71 points or 0.09 per cent to close at 78,009. The index ended the week 0.83 per cent lower, oscillating within a narrow 100-point band through the session before a modest 10-point recovery during the Closing Auction Session limited further damage.
Midcap slide
The Nifty Midcap 100 shed 0.53 per cent, a day after hitting an all-time high of 64,125, while the Nifty Smallcap 100 fell 0.69 per cent, breaking below a six-day consolidation range. Market breadth on the BSE deteriorated, with the advance-decline ratio slipping to 0.84, and 331 of Nifty 500 stocks ending in the red.
Sectorally, Nifty Media and Consumer Durables were the lone gainers. Pharma, Metals, Auto, and Capital Markets bore the brunt of selling pressure. Among Nifty 50 stocks, Apollo Hospitals, Bharti Airtel, and Adani Enterprises led gains, while Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Jio Financial Services, and ONGC were the session’s biggest drags.
Crude oil remained a key overhang. Brent hovered near $87 per barrel, while WTI traded around $82, with both benchmarks holding a geopolitical risk premium. Fresh attacks around the Strait of Hormuz, stalled Iran-Oman negotiations, and the US signalling an indefinite naval blockade of Iran kept supply disruption concerns alive. The IEA cut its global oil demand outlook this week, citing prolonged conflict and elevated prices already weighing on consumption. Mishra noted that “…investor sentiment remained subdued as Brent crude hovered around the $87 per barrel mark amid concerns over potential disruptions to global energy supplies.”
The Indian rupee remained under pressure, trading in the ₹95.40-95.45 range against the dollar before closing near ₹95.43, extending its recent depreciating trend on persistent dollar demand, though losses were contained as the market factored in the possibility of RBI intervention.
Global cues
Asian markets delivered a mixed picture. South Korea’s Kospi extended its recent rally with a gain of 2.41 per cent, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 advanced 0.59 per cent. Several China-linked and oil-sensitive markets underperformed as investors weighed higher energy prices and persistent geopolitical uncertainty. European markets also traded mixed, balancing optimism from Wall Street’s strong finish against renewed West Asia concerns.
On the domestic macro front, India’s trade deficit widened to $32 billion in July, though strong exports in electronics, engineering, and chemicals are expected to keep the external balance manageable. The monsoon deficit has narrowed sharply to 12 per cent of the Long Period Average as of August 12, down from 38.6 per cent in June, supporting kharif sowing and easing food inflation pressure. FY27 GDP growth is pegged at 6.8–7.0 per cent, with CPI inflation estimated at 5.1 per cent.
Looking ahead, markets are expected to remain range-bound next week with the Q1FY27 earnings season largely behind. “Indian equities are likely to remain range-bound next week as global cues and macro developments assume greater importance…,” said Siddhartha Khemka, Head of Research at Motilal Oswal Financial Services, adding that crude, West Asia developments, and global sentiment will remain the primary near-term drivers. Hariselvan Radhakrishnan, Founder and CEO of HST Wealth, struck a cautiously constructive note, saying the Nifty’s ability to defend the 24,325 support zone for a second consecutive session indicated that “…buying interest continues to emerge at lower levels.” Investors will track the US Federal Reserve’s July meeting minutes, US crude inventory data, India’s infrastructure output numbers, and August flash PMI readings through the week.
Published on August 14, 2026
